Roads
Roads
The idea for roads is to clear safe paths between settlements that will improve the speed and safety of rover travel.
Road construction may require either special types of rovers or (more likely) attachment parts like road graders or bulldozer blades to attach to existing rovers. We may also want to have the rover tow a light utility vehicle (with bulldozer blade or backhoe parts) that can be used occasionally when there is an area in the path that needs additional clearing or filling work. Road construction missions may require obstacle avoidance and are not necessarily straight paths between two settlements.
Road construction is a slow process and the rover will travel at a relatively low rate. Construction of a given road can be broken up between several missions, with each mission constructing the road out a ways further until it finally reaches the destination settlement. Only one road can exist directly between two settlements, but the construction can be started and worked on by either settlement. Only one road construction mission can occur for a given road at a time.
Navigation beacons must be placed by the constructing rover every n kilometers along the road. These beacons produce a radio signal to allow for navigation along the road. They are solar powered and must be manufactured for the construction mission. Beacons must be periodically maintained and will occasionally break down and require repairs.
Roads allow safer, faster rover travel between the settlements. Rover drivers using a road aren't affected by difficult terrain or low visibility as they would be off road. The chance for accidents is also lower while on a road.
Roads also allow for robotic cargo vehicles to travel between the settlements. These follow the navigation beacons and require a cleared path.
Roads appear on the navigator tool map as a black line between two settlements (or partial line if unfinished).
Feel free to add more ideas to this page or add to its discussion.
